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Exclusive: Terra Oleo’s oil-producing microbes could replace destructive palm oil plantations | TechCrunch

Exclusive: Terra Oleo’s oil-producing microbes could replace destructive palm oil plantations | TechCrunch

When most kids rebel against their families, they might become a ski bum, join a band, or go to art school. Shen Ming Lee decided to start a company.

“I grew up in the conventional palm oil industry,” Lee told TechCrunch. “My family’s business is one of the top producers in the palm oil space. And so I grew up a little bit — I have to admit —ashamed of what my family does.”

Palm oil has come to dominate the market for vegetable oils, with the raw ingredient and its derivatives appearing in everything from snack foods and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals and biofuels. But along the way, it has deforested vast swaths of the tropics, especially in Southeast Asia. 

The germ of Lee’s startup, Terra Oleo, emerged in 2022 when she met co-founder Boon Uranukul, who, as a doctoral candidate at MIT, had developed microbes that could produce building blocks of plastics using agricultural waste.

“I really had this desire to build something that was maybe going to build on my family’s legacy, but in a way that was more in line with my values as a Gen Z, sustainability-leading person,” Lee said. “We got thinking about what we could do differently, matching his expertise with my connections and strategic network.”

The Singapore-based startup has been operating in stealth for nearly two years to develop microbes that can transform agricultural waste into a variety of oils.

Terra Oleo has raised $3.1 million from ADB Ventures, Better Bite Ventures, Elev8.vc, The Radical Fund, a strategic corporate investor from the palm oil industry, and other investors, the startup exclusively told TechCrunch. Lee and Uranukul are also part of this year’s Breakthrough Energy Fellows cohort.

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Terra Oleo co-founders (from left): Min Hao Wong, PhD, Shen Ming Lee, and Boon Uranukul, PhD.Image Credits:Terra Oleo

Palm oil can be refined into dozens of derivatives, so Lee and Uranukul mapped them to determine where to begin. “What are the most high value ones? But also technologically, what’s easier for us to tackle and lower hanging fruit?” Lee said. 

“There’s the illusion that crude palm oil is the end all be all,” she said, adding that the raw ingredient is a “very low margin commodity.” Instead, they decided to skip straight to higher-value products, including cocoa butter and speciality oils used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

To make those oils, the company selected three yeast species based on the microbes’ abilities to produce certain oils when fed with organic waste, including from agriculture and biodiesel production. It then used genetic and metabolic engineering to boost and tune their ability to produce certain fats and triglycerides.

Currently, the company is still in the lab, producing grams of oil at a time. But Lee said that Terra Oleo plans to use the funding to produce kilograms worth of the stuff. 

Already, Terra Oleo can produce oils for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries at costs far less than what they sell for. That’s mostly because the startup’s microbes produce the right chemical from the start, eliminating the need for pricey refining. 

“We’re looking at upwards of 80% margins for some of these specialty oleochemicals because they’re really expensive to produce conventionally,” Lee said.

Hitting the scale needed to replace significant amounts of palm oil won’t be easy. Last season, the world produced nearly 79 million metric tons, according to the USDA, though the market hasn’t grown significantly in the past six years.

For Lee, that’s an opportunity to show existing palm oil producers that maybe there’s another path.

“We’re not going to change from palm oil to other sources overnight,” she said. “It’s so prevalent, it’s such a versatile ingredient that I think it’s going to be a slow transition where we’re working with the industry to get to that diversified production mix that we want to see.”

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We’re just a few weeks away from the return of House of the Dragon, and all signs point to the bloodiest, most destruction-heavy season yet. The marketing thus far has screamed “war” and “agony“; the show’s co-creator and showrunner, Ryan Condal, has promised “arguably the craziest episode of television ever” with the season-opening Battle of the Gullet. At the recent ATX TV Festival, he again emphasized how wild the Dance of the Dragons is going to get, going so far as to use nuclear war as a comparison.

As reported by Deadline, Condal spoke about how many practical effects are involved in the first episode of season three, which will vividly bring the seafaring excitement to life. However, there’s another element to Westeros warfare of this period that goes well beyond ships firing on each other: those Targaryen dragons blazing at each other in the sky.

“There is a lot of dragon action,” Condal teased. “There are new ones that we haven’t really spent any time with at all that you’ll be very excited to see, and some old favorites come back in and get lots of exciting screen time and action.”

When dragons are involved, that raises the stakes to a new level, which Condal used the language of nuclear war to describe: “mutually assured destruction.” It’s something we didn’t see in Game of Thrones, which did have some dragons in play, of course, but not on the level of the battle-ready beasts that populate House of the Dragon.

“I think the thing this show contends with that the original Game of Thrones did not contend with, at least until the very end, is this idea of there are nuclear weapons in play, and there are nuclear weapons in play on both sides,” he explained. “So really you have this classic Cold War standoff of mutually assured destruction. Of course, the characters in the show would not have those words, but we as a modern audience that can see that [do].”

In season two, as the Dance of the Dragons was getting underway, “Nobody wants to make the big move that is going to break down the wrath of [the dragon] Vhagar or Daemon, because they realize that if it goes too far, you could just have ash left over,” Condal said. “But, of course, that builds and builds and builds, and at some point the cork comes off the champagne bottle, and that’s where we begin here in season three.”

Spoiler alert: Westeros itself does survive, since it’s still around for Game of Thrones several generations later. But we can assume a lot of castles and landscape and people and dragons won’t be making it through this clash of Targaryens. House of the Dragon season three begins June 21 on HBO.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#House #Dragon #Season #Bring #Equivalent #Nuclear #War #WesterosGame of Thrones,HBO,House of the Dragon">‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Will Bring the Equivalent of Nuclear War to Westeros
                We’re just a few weeks away from the return of House of the Dragon, and all signs point to the bloodiest, most destruction-heavy season yet. The marketing thus far has screamed “war” and “agony“; the show’s co-creator and showrunner, Ryan Condal, has promised “arguably the craziest episode of television ever” with the season-opening Battle of the Gullet. At the recent ATX TV Festival, he again emphasized how wild the Dance of the Dragons is going to get, going so far as to use nuclear war as a comparison. As reported by Deadline, Condal spoke about how many practical effects are involved in the first episode of season three, which will vividly bring the seafaring excitement to life. However, there’s another element to Westeros warfare of this period that goes well beyond ships firing on each other: those Targaryen dragons blazing at each other in the sky. “There is a lot of dragon action,” Condal teased. “There are new ones that we haven’t really spent any time with at all that you’ll be very excited to see, and some old favorites come back in and get lots of exciting screen time and action.”

 When dragons are involved, that raises the stakes to a new level, which Condal used the language of nuclear war to describe: “mutually assured destruction.” It’s something we didn’t see in Game of Thrones, which did have some dragons in play, of course, but not on the level of the battle-ready beasts that populate House of the Dragon.

 “I think the thing this show contends with that the original Game of Thrones did not contend with, at least until the very end, is this idea of there are nuclear weapons in play, and there are nuclear weapons in play on both sides,” he explained. “So really you have this classic Cold War standoff of mutually assured destruction. Of course, the characters in the show would not have those words, but we as a modern audience that can see that [do].” In season two, as the Dance of the Dragons was getting underway, “Nobody wants to make the big move that is going to break down the wrath of [the dragon] Vhagar or Daemon, because they realize that if it goes too far, you could just have ash left over,” Condal said. “But, of course, that builds and builds and builds, and at some point the cork comes off the champagne bottle, and that’s where we begin here in season three.”

 Spoiler alert: Westeros itself does survive, since it’s still around for Game of Thrones several generations later. But we can assume a lot of castles and landscape and people and dragons won’t be making it through this clash of Targaryens. House of the Dragon season three begins June 21 on HBO.  Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.      #House #Dragon #Season #Bring #Equivalent #Nuclear #War #WesterosGame of Thrones,HBO,House of the Dragon

war” and “agony“; the show’s co-creator and showrunner, Ryan Condal, has promised “arguably the craziest episode of television ever” with the season-opening Battle of the Gullet. At the recent ATX TV Festival, he again emphasized how wild the Dance of the Dragons is going to get, going so far as to use nuclear war as a comparison.

As reported by Deadline, Condal spoke about how many practical effects are involved in the first episode of season three, which will vividly bring the seafaring excitement to life. However, there’s another element to Westeros warfare of this period that goes well beyond ships firing on each other: those Targaryen dragons blazing at each other in the sky.

“There is a lot of dragon action,” Condal teased. “There are new ones that we haven’t really spent any time with at all that you’ll be very excited to see, and some old favorites come back in and get lots of exciting screen time and action.”

When dragons are involved, that raises the stakes to a new level, which Condal used the language of nuclear war to describe: “mutually assured destruction.” It’s something we didn’t see in Game of Thrones, which did have some dragons in play, of course, but not on the level of the battle-ready beasts that populate House of the Dragon.

“I think the thing this show contends with that the original Game of Thrones did not contend with, at least until the very end, is this idea of there are nuclear weapons in play, and there are nuclear weapons in play on both sides,” he explained. “So really you have this classic Cold War standoff of mutually assured destruction. Of course, the characters in the show would not have those words, but we as a modern audience that can see that [do].”

In season two, as the Dance of the Dragons was getting underway, “Nobody wants to make the big move that is going to break down the wrath of [the dragon] Vhagar or Daemon, because they realize that if it goes too far, you could just have ash left over,” Condal said. “But, of course, that builds and builds and builds, and at some point the cork comes off the champagne bottle, and that’s where we begin here in season three.”

Spoiler alert: Westeros itself does survive, since it’s still around for Game of Thrones several generations later. But we can assume a lot of castles and landscape and people and dragons won’t be making it through this clash of Targaryens. House of the Dragon season three begins June 21 on HBO.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#House #Dragon #Season #Bring #Equivalent #Nuclear #War #WesterosGame of Thrones,HBO,House of the Dragon">‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Will Bring the Equivalent of Nuclear War to Westeros‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Will Bring the Equivalent of Nuclear War to Westeros
                We’re just a few weeks away from the return of House of the Dragon, and all signs point to the bloodiest, most destruction-heavy season yet. The marketing thus far has screamed “war” and “agony“; the show’s co-creator and showrunner, Ryan Condal, has promised “arguably the craziest episode of television ever” with the season-opening Battle of the Gullet. At the recent ATX TV Festival, he again emphasized how wild the Dance of the Dragons is going to get, going so far as to use nuclear war as a comparison. As reported by Deadline, Condal spoke about how many practical effects are involved in the first episode of season three, which will vividly bring the seafaring excitement to life. However, there’s another element to Westeros warfare of this period that goes well beyond ships firing on each other: those Targaryen dragons blazing at each other in the sky. “There is a lot of dragon action,” Condal teased. “There are new ones that we haven’t really spent any time with at all that you’ll be very excited to see, and some old favorites come back in and get lots of exciting screen time and action.”

 When dragons are involved, that raises the stakes to a new level, which Condal used the language of nuclear war to describe: “mutually assured destruction.” It’s something we didn’t see in Game of Thrones, which did have some dragons in play, of course, but not on the level of the battle-ready beasts that populate House of the Dragon.

 “I think the thing this show contends with that the original Game of Thrones did not contend with, at least until the very end, is this idea of there are nuclear weapons in play, and there are nuclear weapons in play on both sides,” he explained. “So really you have this classic Cold War standoff of mutually assured destruction. Of course, the characters in the show would not have those words, but we as a modern audience that can see that [do].” In season two, as the Dance of the Dragons was getting underway, “Nobody wants to make the big move that is going to break down the wrath of [the dragon] Vhagar or Daemon, because they realize that if it goes too far, you could just have ash left over,” Condal said. “But, of course, that builds and builds and builds, and at some point the cork comes off the champagne bottle, and that’s where we begin here in season three.”

 Spoiler alert: Westeros itself does survive, since it’s still around for Game of Thrones several generations later. But we can assume a lot of castles and landscape and people and dragons won’t be making it through this clash of Targaryens. House of the Dragon season three begins June 21 on HBO.  Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.      #House #Dragon #Season #Bring #Equivalent #Nuclear #War #WesterosGame of Thrones,HBO,House of the Dragon

We’re just a few weeks away from the return of House of the Dragon, and all signs point to the bloodiest, most destruction-heavy season yet. The marketing thus far has screamed “war” and “agony“; the show’s co-creator and showrunner, Ryan Condal, has promised “arguably the craziest episode of television ever” with the season-opening Battle of the Gullet. At the recent ATX TV Festival, he again emphasized how wild the Dance of the Dragons is going to get, going so far as to use nuclear war as a comparison.

As reported by Deadline, Condal spoke about how many practical effects are involved in the first episode of season three, which will vividly bring the seafaring excitement to life. However, there’s another element to Westeros warfare of this period that goes well beyond ships firing on each other: those Targaryen dragons blazing at each other in the sky.

“There is a lot of dragon action,” Condal teased. “There are new ones that we haven’t really spent any time with at all that you’ll be very excited to see, and some old favorites come back in and get lots of exciting screen time and action.”

When dragons are involved, that raises the stakes to a new level, which Condal used the language of nuclear war to describe: “mutually assured destruction.” It’s something we didn’t see in Game of Thrones, which did have some dragons in play, of course, but not on the level of the battle-ready beasts that populate House of the Dragon.

“I think the thing this show contends with that the original Game of Thrones did not contend with, at least until the very end, is this idea of there are nuclear weapons in play, and there are nuclear weapons in play on both sides,” he explained. “So really you have this classic Cold War standoff of mutually assured destruction. Of course, the characters in the show would not have those words, but we as a modern audience that can see that [do].”

In season two, as the Dance of the Dragons was getting underway, “Nobody wants to make the big move that is going to break down the wrath of [the dragon] Vhagar or Daemon, because they realize that if it goes too far, you could just have ash left over,” Condal said. “But, of course, that builds and builds and builds, and at some point the cork comes off the champagne bottle, and that’s where we begin here in season three.”

Spoiler alert: Westeros itself does survive, since it’s still around for Game of Thrones several generations later. But we can assume a lot of castles and landscape and people and dragons won’t be making it through this clash of Targaryens. House of the Dragon season three begins June 21 on HBO.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#House #Dragon #Season #Bring #Equivalent #Nuclear #War #WesterosGame of Thrones,HBO,House of the Dragon

Layla mattresses let you flip between a softer or firmer side, depending on your needs. I’ve been testing iterations they’ve come up with for years. We’re testing Layla’s bamboo sheets at the moment, and I can report that they’re ridiculously silky and breathable. If you’re looking to score the whole nine yards—mattress, sheets, bedding, and pillows—you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got Layla coupon code options below.

Score $10 off Your First Order With a Layla Sleep Coupon

If you’re brand new to the world of Layla and want to stay in the loop about the latest offerings, sign up for their email list. Once you do so, you unlock a Layla mattress coupon; first order is $10 off with it. Plus, you’ll be in the loop for any additional promotions happening that you can take advantage of.

Save 20% Instantly: Layla Promo Code for Military, Teachers, and Nurses

For those on the lookout for a Layla coupon code, military discount, or even just a good deal, I have good news for you: here’s all three. For special customers, you get an instant 20% off at checkout once you verify your active status. This discount isn’t just for active military, but also for teachers, nurses, and first responders. Now’s your chance to rest and restore after a hard day’s work, saving lives and educating the next generation.

$600 off Adjustable Bases During the Spring Sale

Adjustable bases are one way you can heighten your mattress experience—literally. Layla’s Adjustable Base Plus offers adjustable leg height, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a head-and-foot range of motion for relaxing and sleeping. This particular Layla coupon code applies to this base, and you can get up to $600 off now until May 31.

Earn up to $260 Off When You Refer a Friend

Friends always keep each other in the loop on the latest updates in their lives, so if you’re Team Layla and want your loved ones to be, too, listen up. Your friend can get up to $260 off when you refer them; either $260 off the Layla Hybrid or $210 off the Layla Memory Foam. Call it the “friends and family discount,” if you will.

You’re not getting the short end of the stick with this deal, either. Once you successfully refer someone and they complete their 120-night trial with their new Layla mattress, you’ll get a $50 Visa Prepaid Card to put towards a mattress, or a $10 card to put towards accessories.

#Layla #Sleep #Promo #Codes #Savecoupons,shopping">Layla Sleep Promo Codes: Save Up to 0Layla mattresses let you flip between a softer or firmer side, depending on your needs. I’ve been testing iterations they’ve come up with for years. We’re testing Layla’s bamboo sheets at the moment, and I can report that they’re ridiculously silky and breathable. If you’re looking to score the whole nine yards—mattress, sheets, bedding, and pillows—you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got Layla coupon code options below.Score  off Your First Order With a Layla Sleep CouponIf you’re brand new to the world of Layla and want to stay in the loop about the latest offerings, sign up for their email list. Once you do so, you unlock a Layla mattress coupon; first order is  off with it. Plus, you’ll be in the loop for any additional promotions happening that you can take advantage of.Save 20% Instantly: Layla Promo Code for Military, Teachers, and NursesFor those on the lookout for a Layla coupon code, military discount, or even just a good deal, I have good news for you: here’s all three. For special customers, you get an instant 20% off at checkout once you verify your active status. This discount isn’t just for active military, but also for teachers, nurses, and first responders. Now’s your chance to rest and restore after a hard day’s work, saving lives and educating the next generation.0 off Adjustable Bases During the Spring SaleAdjustable bases are one way you can heighten your mattress experience—literally. Layla’s Adjustable Base Plus offers adjustable leg height, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a head-and-foot range of motion for relaxing and sleeping. This particular Layla coupon code applies to this base, and you can get up to 0 off now until May 31.Earn up to 0 Off When You Refer a FriendFriends always keep each other in the loop on the latest updates in their lives, so if you’re Team Layla and want your loved ones to be, too, listen up. Your friend can get up to 0 off when you refer them; either 0 off the Layla Hybrid or 0 off the Layla Memory Foam. Call it the “friends and family discount,” if you will.You’re not getting the short end of the stick with this deal, either. Once you successfully refer someone and they complete their 120-night trial with their new Layla mattress, you’ll get a  Visa Prepaid Card to put towards a mattress, or a  card to put towards accessories.#Layla #Sleep #Promo #Codes #Savecoupons,shopping

bamboo sheets at the moment, and I can report that they’re ridiculously silky and breathable. If you’re looking to score the whole nine yards—mattress, sheets, bedding, and pillows—you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got Layla coupon code options below.

Score $10 off Your First Order With a Layla Sleep Coupon

If you’re brand new to the world of Layla and want to stay in the loop about the latest offerings, sign up for their email list. Once you do so, you unlock a Layla mattress coupon; first order is $10 off with it. Plus, you’ll be in the loop for any additional promotions happening that you can take advantage of.

Save 20% Instantly: Layla Promo Code for Military, Teachers, and Nurses

For those on the lookout for a Layla coupon code, military discount, or even just a good deal, I have good news for you: here’s all three. For special customers, you get an instant 20% off at checkout once you verify your active status. This discount isn’t just for active military, but also for teachers, nurses, and first responders. Now’s your chance to rest and restore after a hard day’s work, saving lives and educating the next generation.

$600 off Adjustable Bases During the Spring Sale

Adjustable bases are one way you can heighten your mattress experience—literally. Layla’s Adjustable Base Plus offers adjustable leg height, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a head-and-foot range of motion for relaxing and sleeping. This particular Layla coupon code applies to this base, and you can get up to $600 off now until May 31.

Earn up to $260 Off When You Refer a Friend

Friends always keep each other in the loop on the latest updates in their lives, so if you’re Team Layla and want your loved ones to be, too, listen up. Your friend can get up to $260 off when you refer them; either $260 off the Layla Hybrid or $210 off the Layla Memory Foam. Call it the “friends and family discount,” if you will.

You’re not getting the short end of the stick with this deal, either. Once you successfully refer someone and they complete their 120-night trial with their new Layla mattress, you’ll get a $50 Visa Prepaid Card to put towards a mattress, or a $10 card to put towards accessories.

#Layla #Sleep #Promo #Codes #Savecoupons,shopping">Layla Sleep Promo Codes: Save Up to $600

Layla mattresses let you flip between a softer or firmer side, depending on your needs. I’ve been testing iterations they’ve come up with for years. We’re testing Layla’s bamboo sheets at the moment, and I can report that they’re ridiculously silky and breathable. If you’re looking to score the whole nine yards—mattress, sheets, bedding, and pillows—you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got Layla coupon code options below.

Score $10 off Your First Order With a Layla Sleep Coupon

If you’re brand new to the world of Layla and want to stay in the loop about the latest offerings, sign up for their email list. Once you do so, you unlock a Layla mattress coupon; first order is $10 off with it. Plus, you’ll be in the loop for any additional promotions happening that you can take advantage of.

Save 20% Instantly: Layla Promo Code for Military, Teachers, and Nurses

For those on the lookout for a Layla coupon code, military discount, or even just a good deal, I have good news for you: here’s all three. For special customers, you get an instant 20% off at checkout once you verify your active status. This discount isn’t just for active military, but also for teachers, nurses, and first responders. Now’s your chance to rest and restore after a hard day’s work, saving lives and educating the next generation.

$600 off Adjustable Bases During the Spring Sale

Adjustable bases are one way you can heighten your mattress experience—literally. Layla’s Adjustable Base Plus offers adjustable leg height, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a head-and-foot range of motion for relaxing and sleeping. This particular Layla coupon code applies to this base, and you can get up to $600 off now until May 31.

Earn up to $260 Off When You Refer a Friend

Friends always keep each other in the loop on the latest updates in their lives, so if you’re Team Layla and want your loved ones to be, too, listen up. Your friend can get up to $260 off when you refer them; either $260 off the Layla Hybrid or $210 off the Layla Memory Foam. Call it the “friends and family discount,” if you will.

You’re not getting the short end of the stick with this deal, either. Once you successfully refer someone and they complete their 120-night trial with their new Layla mattress, you’ll get a $50 Visa Prepaid Card to put towards a mattress, or a $10 card to put towards accessories.

#Layla #Sleep #Promo #Codes #Savecoupons,shopping

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